Hospital hygiene

Nosocomial infections: a positive trend, but...

Hospital hygiene and how Germany compares in a European survey is somewhat divisive. Some believe Germany does well, whilst others emphasise the need to improve and for a stronger alignment with countries such as the Netherlands.

Report: Eva Britsch

Professor Petra Gastmeier

As hygiene specialist Professor Petra Gastmeier, at the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine in Charité University Medical Centre Berlin, pointed out: ‘Compared to other EU countries, the prevalence of nosocomial infections in Germany is relatively low.’ However, the expert concedes that Germany has a comparatively large number of hospital beds and hospital stays, so the disease burden is very high by EU comparison. Clearly speaking: The risk of contracting an infection increases with every visit to a German hospital.

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The figures Gastmeier presents still seem high: An annual 15,000 patients in Germany die from nosocomial infections, with 2,300 of these infections caused by resistant pathogens - a partially preventable cause, she believes. An important aspect arising from the study, carried out by Behnke et al, is the limit of the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and a general awareness of resistance through antibiotic stewardship programmes.

How the fight against multi-resistant pathogens will progress still appears unclear, as the development of resistance has also been observed with the use of new, innovative antibiotics. Gastmeier is therefore advocating a more considerate, sensible use of antibiotics and emphasises that 30% of all prescriptions could be avoided.